Happy Birthday Baby!

From the moment you entered our life you have brought us so much beauty and joy and fun. You do some incredible things and we are so proud of you. Happy Birthday Jami. We love you.

April Showers Bring . . .

May Blizzards! Only in Wyoming. Probably by next week it will be summer heat and we will have missed spring - my favorite season - all together.






We do have one good sign that someone has faith that better weather is on the way. Here is our front door with the wreath Jami sent me a few years ago. It is so realistic looking that the birds adopt it occasionally to build a home and rear their young. Year before last some birds were raised in the nest you can see on the front - it kind of started falling off to the front of the wreath over the winter. So last week we noticed some nest building going on on the top of the wreath, over the top of the previous nest. And today I peeked . . .


and they've started laying eggs. I got dive bombed by some very nervous parents when I started aiming my camera at them. It will be interesting to see if they lay more than just these two - and fun to watch them hatch and be fed and learn to fly all right from our front door. But I do know from previous experience that it is not so fun to clean up after all of them when they get almost full-grown. Lots and lots of bird poop, right out our front door. Notice already what a mess they made splattering mud just building their nest.

My Favorite Kaytee Prom Pic

Worland Prom 2010

It is Prom season in Worland. The week started with Kaytee and a bunch of the other juniors transforming the high school gym into a twinkling, sparkling wonderland - first they cover the floors and walls with black plastic, then add the white Christmas lights, lots of balloons, a boatload of glitter and stars, and this year, a gigantic 2-0-1-0 that the prom attendees would stroll through as they Grand Marched across the gym to greet the cheering crowd - the entire town of Worland turns out for this event.

Here is Kaytee, the night before prom, "letting Michelle feel tall", as they are getting a little loopy after decorating all day and night.


A bunch of the decorators pause in their efforts for a group photo.


The big day finally arrives. Nicole Madden came over to get Kaytee all curly-cued.


After a nap and giving herself a Hawaiin manicure, thanks to Ali and Mike, Kaytee's got on her "dancing" shoes and waiting for her date to arrive.


Kaytee's date was Joe Wille from Riverton (he moved from Worland a few years ago.) All I could think when he got here was - wow, he got tall! (and very cute!) He is helping Kaytee adjust the corsage he got her.


Here are Kaytee and Joe strolling down the lighted 2010 path as their names are announced, they then stopped on the star at the end to pose for the newspaper and photographer (and parents who were quick enough) to take pictures. They were couple number 26. There were over 80 couples. It was a very loooong grand march.

Everyone loved the shoes - the newspaper made her lift her skirt so they could get this picture.

In my opinion, the cutest couple of the night.

Here is Kaytee with some of her friends, Chantel and Karsyn.

Then they announced that all the parents needed to quit taking pictures and leave so the dance could begin. Hope they are having fun - while I wait up - waiting to hear all about it - so that is why you all are getting this up-to-the minute post!

Happy Birthday Cassidy!

You are the most amazing woman, wife, mother, daughter, sister and friend! I am so proud to be your mother. Thank you for all the joy you radiate to the lives of those you touch - especially our sweet James. Happy, happy bithday to you!

Getting Ready for Winter

So, I realized that it is getting awfully cold outside for when we send Heston out to go potty or get some exercise but he has NO body fat (wouldn't that be nice?!?) and very short fur so he needed a coat. But any store bought ones don't fit him because he is so weirdly shaped. I downloaded a pattern and sewed him one. We got some boots for him too.

Isn't he handsome.


Except he can't (or won't) walk up the stairs with his boots on so Kaytee had to carry him.

Alicyn's Art Show!

***** C A U T I O N ! ! ! *****
Blog below for Mature Audiences only!



So, last weekend we went to Laramie to see Alicyn's Art Show at The University of Wyoming. It was pretty amazing. It has been fun to watch her develop her talents in different art mediums. Although this wasn't really what we were expecting . . .



Oh, wait, those aren't Alicyn's work - they were just all over the outside of the gallery showcasing her art show so as we stood outside and Alicyn invited her guests in to see her artwork she kept pointing to this wall and saying, "Come and enjoy my art" indicating the door to the room to enter her gallery, but looking like the above wall of paintings was what she wanted people to come see. Most of the paintings were unsigned but we did find one with an artist signature - didn't know we had TWO budding artists in the family!

Yes - this is more like it. Alicyn and her wall of amazing fish. She does lots of really big art (takes up a lot of space) but has lots of little pieces to hang. Mike was such an amazing support to her in getting it all set up. (We love you Mike!)

Here she is pointing out one of her favorite pieces . . . actually they are ALL her favorites!

This one was really cool from both far away and up close - left lots of interpretation up to the viewer. . . fish eyes? fish eggs? planets? abstract designs with no meaning whatsoever? Who cares . . . it looks really cool.

Of course there were some that wanted the artist herself to explain each piece and it was so much fun to listen to Alicyn explain the biological significance of each section of her print.


And how fun to have old friends come to support. Here is another amazing artist from Worland, Mark Bartholomew and he and Alicyn have been friends since they used to argue over who had the correct answer for their math problems in 6th grade.


Dad manned the reception table and helped serve all the amazing food . . . For all her denying it when she was younger, Alicyn has turned into an amazing cook. Everyone raved over her Chicken Enchilada Soup and Sopapilla Cheesecake bars.


And where was Kaytee in all of this - waiting for us back in Casper with her friend Chantel as they cheered on friends from other schools in the State Volleyball Championship games.